Closure for storage batteries



y 1942- E. H. RIEDESEL, JR 2,281,800

CLOSURE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed May 7, 1940 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESS Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application May 7, 1940, Serial No. 333,860

Claims.

My invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in closures, and more particularly to closures for storage batteries.

' An important object of my invention is to provide a closure adapted to permit all of the cells of a battery to be simultaneously closed, to normally eil'ectively seal the cells and to permit all of the cells to be simultaneously opened.

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure of the above-mentioned character which permits easy access to be had to all of the cells for internal inspection, and which greatly expedites the operation of testing and filling the cells.

Still another object of my'invention is to provide a closure of the above-mentioned character which will normally be tightly held in closing relation with the battery, but which may be easily disengaged from the battery when desired, thus facilitating the servicing of the battery.

Other objects and advantages of my invention, will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

The present invention contemplates an arrangement which will permit all of the openings ii to be easily opened or closed in a single operation and which will eliminate the necessity of separately opening each of the cells in the manner heretofore required. I have provided an elongated body It formed of a suitable hard rubber composition, or the like, which body is of suflicient length to extendover all of the filler openings i5 of the battery. The plugs i1 extend perpendicularly from the bottom face it of the body and are suitably spaced whereby each may be fitted into one of the filler openings it. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, each of the plugs is formed with an annular base portion l9 which seats against the I cover plate circumjacent to the filler opening Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view 01' a device embodying my invention, and showing the same associated with a plurality of battery cells,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the closure plugs of my invention associated with a modified form of battery filler opening.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral iii designates a conventional storage battery including a case or container ii formed of a rubber composition, or the like, and having integrally formed transverse partitions H which define the separate battery cells il. Each of the cells contains a plurality of electrodes. (not shownfand is adapted to be filled with an acid solution in accordance with the common practice. The cover plates it, formed of a hard rubber, or the like, inclose the top of each cell, and each of the cover plates is provided with a central threaded opening IS. The cover openings normally receive individual filler caps which comprise clo-' sures for the openings.

and an elongated frusto-conical-shaped portion 20. The side walls of the frusto-conical-shaped portions of the plugs are not threaded and may be formed of either hard or soft rubber but, in either event, the portions are constructed to snugly fit the filler openings. A considerable strain may be developed in the body portion when suflicient force is applied thereto to simultaneously remove all of the plugs from their respective openings, and I have, therefore, provided reinforcing metallic rods 2| .imbedded in and extending longitudinally of the body.

In order to assure a normally fixed but de-- tachable engagement of the closure with the battery I have formed one of the plugs in the manner illustrated by the central plug in Figure 1 of the drawing. The portion of the plug extending beyond the base is is not frusto-conicalshaped but is cylindrical in its formation and the vertical wall thereof is provided with screw threads adapted to threadedly engage its respective cell opening l5. This plug is not integrally formed on the body but extends therethrough and the portion extending thereabove has asuitable cap 22 fixedly secured thereon. The cap 22 and base 18 embrace the opposite sides of the body and permits the plug to be freely rotatable relative thereto, whereby the plug may -be threadedly fitted into its respective opening.

The irusto-conical-shaped plugs arranged at cpposite sides of the central threaded plug may then be pressed into the other of the cell openings.

Each of the plugs is formedwith a central recess 23 which opens directly through the bottom face thereof and into the battery cell. Each of the recesses is also provided with a substantially small, vent 24 which opens through the body and affords communication with the atmosphere. A baiiie plate is arranged transversely of the open lower end of each recess to prevent splashing of the liquid in the cells through the vents 24.

The closure hereinabove described permits access to be had to all of the cells by the simple expedient of unthreading the central plug and lifting the closure from the battery. This plug, therefore, comprises a single control means for fixedly but detachably connecting the body ii to the battery. Unthreading of the plug will simultaneously raise each of the fixed plugs Il out of their respective filler openings to permit ready and basic removal of the body. The trouble attendant with unthreading individual filler plugs from each of the cells is thereby eliminated and the operation of filling the cells is greatly expedited. In the past, considerable trouble has been caused by the fact that the essentially small individual filler plugs are easily lost or misplaced. The closure here illustrated may be laid to one side and, when replaced, the central plug is threaded into its respective cell opening and the other plugs pressedinto their openings in a single easy operation.

Figure 3 illustrates the formation of the body I6 which may be necessary on certain types of batteries in order to avoid the terminal connections of the respective cells.

Figure 4 illustrates a battery wherein the end cell openings 15 may be unthreaded and frustoconical in shape to snugly receive the end plugs.

It is to be understood that the form c! my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example or the same,,.

andthat various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

body adapted to threadedly engage another of v the said cell openings, said last plug comprising a single control means for holding the body detachably connected to the said battery.

' 2. In a battery of the type having a plurality of separate cells each provided with a separate filler opening, a body having a plurality of fixed plug members snugly frictionally received by certain of the cell openings, a. plug member rotatably but nondetachably carried by the body adapted to threadedly engage another of the said cell openings, said last plug comprising a single control means for holding the body detachably connected to the said battery and all of said plug members having a venting communication with their respective cells, and bafile elements carried by each of the plugs and arranged in semi-obturating relation to the vents.

3. In a battery of the type having a plurality of separate cellseach provided with a separate filler opening, a body, handle means rctatably but. nondetachably carried by the body and having a screw-threaded part engageable within one of the cell openings, and fixed plugs carried by the body adapted to be pressed into and to snugly fit the other of the said cell openings.

4. In a battery of the typehaving a plurality .0! separatecells each provided with a separate filler opening, a body, a plug rotatably but nondetachably carried by the body adapted for screwthreaded engagement with one of the filler openings, and plugs fixedly carried by the body adapted to be pressed into the other of the said filler openings.

5. A closure member for a battery having a plurality of separate cells each provided with a separate filler opening, comprising a body having lateral extensions shaped to be snugly but.

detachably received by each of the cell openings, one of said extensions being rotatably but nondetachably associated with the body and includin: a screw threaded shank portion threadedly received by one or the said filler openings, said threaded shank holding the other or the extensions in obturating relation with their respective filler openings.

- ERNEST H. RIEDESEL, JR. 

